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Florida Beaches- help?

saraschilling88saraschilling88
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in Honeymoon Discussions
My FI and I are going to Orlando, Florida in November for our honeymoon, we plan to be in Orlando for 6 days - 2-8 (1 day of travel to get there), and want to spend the next 3 days 8-11 (we'd fly out the 11th, so not a full day) on a beach!!  My question is what are some nice beach towns near Orlando? They can be a ways away since we are renting a car, but we would prefer to have a hotel near the beach and we are looking at hotels that are affiliated with Hilton (Hampton Inns, Doubletrees, etc..)...  For beach we are just looking to relax for the last few days of our honeymoon (we are going the theme park route for the first few days)...

Any advice would be fantastic as we are looking to book hotel rooms in the next week or so!!
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Re: Florida Beaches- help?

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    waltersj08waltersj08
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    I would definitely recommend going west to the gulf coast. The water is much clearer and prettier since you'll be so far north. Also, you'll have a better chance of seeing manatees and dolphins. Our favorite day-trip beach town from Orlando is Anna Maria Island. It's quaint, beautiful, and relaxing. It's about 2.5 hrs from the Disney Area. If you want to drive a little further, Sarasota is absolutely gorgeous. It's just a little further south. Sarasota is more set-up for activity than Anna Maria - more shopping and dining by far, if that's what you're looking for. They also have bigger hotels than Anna Maria. The most popular/ tourist hit beaches on the gulf coming from Orlando would be St. Pete/ Clearwater. These will be the closest drive for you, maybe 1.5 hrs, but it will be crowded and very touristy. Let me know if you have any questions or want any reviews of beaches on the Atlantic side, or any further away on the Gulf.
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    MNVegasMNVegas member
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    We loved Anna Maria Island! My SIL goes to Long Boat Key all the time and really like it there also. Sarasota and Naples also have great beaches.
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    erolliserollis member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited May 2012
    Clearwater/ St. Pete are a is very nice. I have family in the area and used to visit all the time growing up. It is touristy so if you don't mind it's worth it. 

    We visited Boca Grande on our Honeymoon but is an extra hour drive compared to the other beaches mentioned by the other posters. What we loved about this beach is that is was not touristy in the least. Very secluded and a sleepy town during the off season. we have never seen dolphins so close while sitting on the beach. 

    ETA: Just clicked that you will be there in November. The Boca Grande will be very active compared to when we went. This has the bonus of all the shops being open.
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    PrettyKPrettyK
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    Hello,

    Here's a quick link to the best beaches in Florida:
    http://www.floridavariety.net/beaches-in-florida/

    I hope it will help.

    Cheers!

    Finding Sacred Love
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    saraschilling88saraschilling88
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    Thank you everyone!!  FI and I will be looking into the recommended beaches tonight/tomorrow and appreciate the feedback!! :) 
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    butterflyjumper1butterflyjumper1
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    Check out Pass A Grille Beach. Close to the St. Pete area, but off the beaten path (read: no tourists and lots of locals, with lots of peace and quiet!) and absolutely beautiful, with the best sea shell opportunities in the area. Trip Advisor recently featured it as one of the best beaches in the conutry. It's kind of artsy, has lots of art galleries and local restaurants, and one of the best "vibes" in Florida. If you want any specific info, feel free to PM me, HTH.
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    swanratswanrat member
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    St Augustine is a nice area to visit! Crescent Beach is nearby and very nice.
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    SmithWedding815SmithWedding815
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    The FI and i were thinking sanibel island, however id love to hear more about the place your talking about
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    SmithWedding815SmithWedding815
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    In Response to Re:Florida Beaches- help?:[QUOTE]Check out Pass A Grille Beach. Close to the St. Pete area, but off the beaten path (read: no tourists and lots of locals, with lots of peace and quiet!) and absolutely beautiful, with the best sea shell opportunities in the area. Trip Advisor recently featured it as one of the best beaches in the conutry. It's kind of artsy, has lots of art galleries and local restaurants, and one of the best "vibes" in Florida. If you want any specific info, feel free to PM me, HTH. Posted by butterflyjumper1[/QUOTE]

    im not sure why this didnt work the first time, but the FI and i were thinking sanibel island, but id like to hear about that place
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    ellebelleyellebelley
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    I live in Orlando so I would definitely say Clearwater is one of the nicest. Boynton Beach is really nice too. While I love New Symerna- it's not for honeymooners and NO to Daytona
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    rivereyesbluerivereyesblue member
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    We are planning a honeymoon to St. Augustine, because of the beach and history! :)

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